Distance
by teamfreewill82
Summary: I'll make sure to keep my distance, say I love you when you're not listening. [ONESHOT]


**Disclaimer: I do not own** _ **Wizards of Waverly Place**_ **. I do not own Distance by Christina Perri, my inspiration for this fic. The "doll" and "Justee" ideas are from Not Just a Nerd, the fanfic writer of Dollhouse.** **I don't own any of these things** **or anything pertaining to them except my own writing. All rights to the rightful owners.**

The early morning sun rays breathed life into the bedroom of Justin Russo. The previous night's rain had washed away the city's grime, leaving everything outside like new and shining with water droplets. His sister had come into the room when the thunder had started, and now sat in the chair by his window, the same chair their mother had sat in to rock Justin to sleep when he was a baby. Her chin was resting atop her fist as she observed the bustling streets. The city landscape shone beautifully in the sunlight.

Alex looked behind herself at the sleeping form of her brother. His torso up was exposed, as he slept without a shirt during the summer, and his head was turned towards her, expression peaceful as he slept on. Alex had woken half an hour before this, unable to sleep next to him any longer. He'd been kind the night before. She had woken him up with a shake of his mattress. Without a word he'd moved over, allowing room for his sister to climb in next to him. Justin, half asleep, had covered her with sheets, then turned onto his side and went back to his dreams, facing the window as he was now.

She didn't treat him very well. It had been better when they were younger, she knew. As kids, Justin and Alex had been close, best friends, really. She had slept with him nearly every night, comforted by his presence, by her older brother. Now, things were weird between them. Alex felt as though telling her brother things the way she had when they were little was strange and that, as siblings, getting along shouldn't even be allowed. She hadn't been in the same bed with him for years, and had expected it to feel completely… new. But it wasn't. If she were being honest, sleeping in his bed again… it was like she'd never stopped.

Alex thought she should leave her brother's bedroom. It wasn't normal to just sit and watch him sleep. Her room had a window, go there. But she didn't want to. She wasn't sure why. Maybe she just liked being near him when he wasn't talking, coaxing her into taunting him. This way… they could be together with no awkwardness. But why was it awkward? she asked herself. She l-l- She really cared for her brother, she did. He was always there for her, and she knew he didn't mind being there, not really. They weren't normal people. She'd known that, even before he had said so. But why couldn't she be around Justin without feeling like she had to be rude? They had a sisterly-brotherly hate thing going on, which she loved, and hated. Because sometimes… Alex just wanted to be next to Justin without enacting their bickering.

Throughout the years, because of the fighting, she'd resorted to saying _I love you_ to an empty room that he'd just left from, or to his retreating figure because it wrecked the Alex Russo image to admit such things. But it was true. She did. He was her everything from the moment she was born. Her first word had been his name, or rather, _Justee_. At age two only a four year old Justin could get Alex to sleep, holding her gently in his own little arms. He didn't dare drop her, his little doll.

He was the one Alex would run to in her times of distress, always. It was much the same these days, but more reluctant if not dire. But losing him, if it were to ever happen, would kill her. The idea that he could have such an effect on her life scared Alex, nearly more than anything.

Alex stood then, glancing once more out the window, and at Justin. She stepped carefully out of her brother's room, making sure not to make a sound. For a little while longer, at least, she'd be kind and let him be. She owed him, anyway.


End file.
